King for a Night
"King for a Night" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of The Flintstones. It aired on December 3, 1964. Synopsis Fred is hired to impersonate a look alike king for one evening, while the real king flees. Plot Impetuous aristocrat who is Fred's double, despairing of the demands of his position, sneaks away from his tiresome responsibilities to live like a "peasant" in Bedrock. His aides, fearing loss of affluence because of the disappearance of their "meal ticket", strive to locate him or a suitable facsimile, discover Fred, and convince Fred with promise of substantial remuneration to substitute for the missing power-broker. Barney encounters Fred's pompous and offensive doppelganger in downtown Bedrock, believes him to be Fred, and is infuriated by his insults and seeming willful refusal of friendly recognition. And so on. The King of Stonesylvania is visiting Bedrock and residing at the Rock Towers Hotel to entertain a delegation of wealthy investors and procure a ten million dollar loan for his country- and for payment on personal possessions (yacht, royal furniture, etc.) purchased on credit. Weary of the near misses of his person of daggers, knives, and arrows hurled by his envious subjects and of repetitive, monarchical duties and ceremonies, the King, alone in early evening in his hotel room, shaves away his beard, descends through a window on bed sheets to the streets of Bedrock, and drives his limousine to a drive-in restaurant and then to a go-go dance club and to a roller skating rink. The King's servants overpower what they think is their errant monarch by removing him from a "peasant's" car and "pacifying" him with a strike to the head. After Fred asserts his identity as commoner Flintstone, the King's aides promise to him $3,000 if he impersonates the King. Naturally, Fred cannot decline such a proposal! Barney, waiting for Fred at the Bedrock Bowling Alley, sees Fred's double in the limousine en route to the drive-in restaurant and unsuccessfully attempts to restrain Fred, whom Barney supposes to have stolen the limousine in a delirious, strangely accented flight of fancy. The King drops a bowl of soup on Barney's head and later clobbers Barney with a stop sign, but Rubble refuses to relent in his pursuit of the man believed by him to be his buddy. Finally, the King opts to return to his throne and thence be free from Barney's pestering. At the hotel, Wilma and Betty, having come to this location for a glimpse of foreign royalty, instantly discover Fred in his guise as the King- and Wilma is displeased to see her husband charming and dancing with investors' wives (on the directive of the King's aides to impress the King's prospective monetary benefactors). Fred runs away from Wilma, from the dance floor, and therefore also from the King's men. It is only when the true King reappears at the hotel, pursued by Barney, and eventually collides with his look-alike in full view of everyone concerned, that the problem is completely resolved. Fred confesses to his masquerade but says to Wilma that he did it for her and Pebbles. The King, grateful to Fred for his help in what ultimately is the accomplishment of his aim (securing the ten million dollar loan), rewards Fred with $3,000 in Stonesylvanian currency. A mere $3.95 in Bedrock money, however! Characters *Fred Flintstone *Wilma Flintstone *Barney Rubble *Betty Rubble *Pebbles Flintstone *Bamm-Bamm Rubble *Wednesday (only appearance) *Tuesday (mentioned on the phone) *Gildenstone (only appearance) *Rosencave (only appearance) *Joe Rockhead Locations * Bedrock **Flintstone home **Rock Towers Hotel **Cactus La Go Go **Bowling alley **Drive-In Restaurant **Bedrock Roller Rink * Stonesylvania (mentioned) Objects * Bowling ball Vehicles * Fred's car Cast Notes/Trivia *This episode is a reworking of the twenty-second episode "The Tycoon", featured in the first season. *Stonesylvania is a spoof of Pennsylvania. *Doris Stone and Rock Boulder is a spoof of Doris Day and Rock Hudson. *Gildenstone and Rosencave are spoofs of Gildenstern and Rosencrantz from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. 'Errors' *Wilma and Betty each wear a coat out, but no one else is dressed for cold weather. Category:Episodes Category:The Flintstones episodes